Weapons Training

This isn't your father's railgun

Longtime FPS players grew up with the crosshair. It was a covenant between the player and the game that guaranteed that you will always hit your target as long as your aim is true. You could count on landing that rail shot every time you pulled the trigger when the target was within your sights.

Counter-Strike throws that covenant out the window. Don't expect to hold down the button and have all your bullets land exactly where you aim. CS weapons exhibit recoil for realism. When you go full-auto with the AK-47, the bullets will rise up and create an interesting shot pattern.

New CS players may find the inaccurate crosshair a little disconcerting especially since all of the weapons, with the exception of the HE grenade, are instant-hit weapons.

Thankfully, good aim is still a necessary skill in CS; you just have to learn how to handle the weapons first. You can compensate for recoil by firing in bursts or by simply pulling down the crosshair while your shots ride up. Standing still or crouching also helps to increase accuracy.

Check out our CS Weapons Guide for more detailed explanations on how to improve accuracy and a tactical analysis of every single weapon in the game.

Loki with the pump action

Me, a victim of the pump action

Controlling the chaos

Once you accept the fact that weapons in CS exhibit a random nature, you'll be ready to learn how to control them and you'll also be able to get a better handle on your emotions. If you're outgunned in an even one on one fight, it's likely that your opponent was able to control his weapon better that you were able to control yours.

Don't get upset. Reflect on the battle. Did he get the first shot off? How many rounds did you land? How many did you miss? Why did you miss? Was it just poor aim or was it poor technique? Did you burst fire for too long or did you compensate for the recoil incorrectly? Go into free-look mode and see how much health you took off your opponent. Learn from your death.

Sometimes shit happens. An opponent may catch you right after you finish going full-auto on two of his teammates. If you understand that you're at a disadvantage because you're still recovering from the recoil, you won't be as angry when you die. Be a calm, calculating student of the game.